When the S100A4 levels in epithelial cells were compared immunocytochemically (Table 2), the proportion of specimens exhibiting epithelial staining for S100A4 was more strongly significantly different between carcinomas and normal colon (P=0.0016, Fisher exact test) than when specimens were compared using the quantitative RT–PCR technique (P=0.05, Fisher exact test). This evidence concerns the gene S100A4 and carcinoma.